Attendance Allowance

Newly_retired

That's wonderful, especially considering all the knee problems he has gone through. I am so glad that it was possible to make such a journey. Paying off the debt seems like a good idea, but do check that there isn't a massive fee for early repayment of the loan. If there is, it would be better to put any extra money into savings.

margaretclare

Newly_retired wrote: »

That's wonderful, especially considering all the knee problems he has gone through. I am so glad that it was possible to make such a journey. Paying off the debt seems like a good idea, but do check that there isn't a massive fee for early repayment of the loan. If there is, it would be better to put any extra money into savings.

No, it's just a straight bank loan, not a 'car loan' as such, although that's what I called it because that was why he borrowed the money. He spotted this car which was in such good nick and such low mileage, it was too good to miss. The bank are always writing to him telling him how credit-worthy he is, he thought he'd put it to the test. He has a frighteningly-high amount of available credit on credit cards but he always pays off his balance every month!! He says, when he's 90 he'll max out all the cards and then say 'sue me'. Joke (I hope).

Errata

I thought AA took no account of mobility needs and was only awarded to those with personal care needs - washing, dressing, toilet, getting up, going to bed, feeding.
Have I misunderstood?

margaretclare

Errata wrote: »

I thought AA took no account of mobility needs and was only awarded to those with personal care needs - washing, dressing, toilet, getting up, going to bed, feeding.
Have I misunderstood?

Once you get it you can spend it on what you like and I think this is most useful. You can spend it on what you decide you need, not on what someone else says your needs are.

I was once offered the opportunity to have someone come in to get me up out of bed. I turned it down. I didn't fancy the idea of having to wait around in bed till mid-morning. DH and I do things for each other.

There is no mobility component, but it just so happens that at the moment, keeping the car is our main priority. Without it we'd go nowhere. Even something as basic as shopping would be impossible - well, all right, there's internet shopping as a fall-back option.

It's an extremely useful benefit because it doesn't get you involved in the whole means-testing circus and it's non-taxable. We've had people telling us what they think we need but ignoring what we said we needed.

Errata

Once you get it you can spend it on what you like and I think this is most useful. You can spend it on what you decide you need, not on what someone else says your needs are.

I understand that, but my question was about eligibility. Clearly if someone needs assistance with personal care funding that with AA would be a priority for them as they wouldn't be able to dress, toilet etc etc without assistance.

margaretclare

Errata wrote: »

I understand that, but my question was about eligibility. Clearly if someone needs assistance with personal care funding that with AA would be a priority for them as they wouldn't be able to dress, toilet etc etc without assistance.

Yes, but you can still be assisted by your OH and that counts. As others have pointed out, in some circumstances an OH can be appointed the 'carer'. We do things for each other.

DH went for his review last Friday following prostate/bladder surgery in February and has a clean bill of health, don't darken my door again etc. However, he could have been left with long-term incontinence following the surgery to the bladder neck, and that was included in what was written on the form. Fortunately it hasn't happened, but it was a risk.

NotSoWise

I agree with OP - AA allowance can be spent on whatever makes the applicant's life more acceptable.

Please note that AA is for 65 and over. They cannot qualify for DWP motability allowance, however immobile they are.

I think that is ageism - so what is the problem with using AA for payment for a car rather than someone coming in to do stuff - especially is there is a partner who can do 'stuff' anyway?

margaretclare

NotSoWise wrote: »

I agree with OP - AA allowance can be spent on whatever makes the applicant's life more acceptable.

Please note that AA is for 65 and over. They cannot qualify for DWP motability allowance, however immobile they are.

I think that is ageism - so what is the problem with using AA for payment for a car rather than someone coming in to do stuff - especially is there is a partner who can do 'stuff' anyway?

Thanks for this. I've heard of having a hairdresser come in to do a lady's hair because she could no longer do it herself.

We've just had our monthly window-clean. Obviously, years ago we'd have cleaned them ourselves.

Just been down the bottom of the garden - birds busy nesting in the wilderness down there. Next thing will be - need to get the wilderness sorted out, once nesting season is past! Time was, I could get down to give the edges and borders some serious attention. Can't get down to them any more.

We choose to keep our car going - again, I've heard of people paying for taxis to go shopping, another use for extra money i.e. AA.

longforgotten

I admit I have only had experience with the old form for Mum...

The first form was filled in with the help of AgeConcern. The girl was great, asked about things that we would never have thought of. Mum got lower rate and knew it would be reviewed in two years.

The form came around again and filled in the old form about February this year again with the help of AgeConcern. Got to be honest this time the helper not so good, I ended up printing it off internet and filling it in myself. I was lucky I had the insight from the first helper. I sat and thought about Mums day and what she could and couldn't do. Mum has been awarded the lower rate and will continue to receive this without review.

To me Mum is so much luckier than most, although she would not say so because she's no longer the person she used to be and because she's on her own as Dad passed away. I know things about Mum that a doctors report, and list of medication, wouldn't. I know what the doctor says to her during an appointment and I'm sure he thinks she's taken it in and understood it as she's happily nodded yes all the way through. Yet I know that by the time I've got her to the car she asks me questions that prove she hasn't got a clue about whats gone on in the appointment. Without me being with her at crucial times she would be lost.

No doctors report knows that without me visiting she would not look after herself properly, have a bath more often etc. If Mum was on her own having help to fill in the form she would never tell them that she needed help like this as she would say we only had a bath once a week if we were lucky in the old days !

So my advice to any helper filling in a form think of everything and ask for help. Every little thing , from the dizziness they may get when they get out of the chair to understanding the timeswitch on the heating or not understanding the electric bill !

Somebody looking/chatting with my Mum would not know all the simple things she cannot do and she does need help. It costs me money to see her, take her to appointments, time off work etc which I can afford no problem but there are others who cannot afford it and the AA may help them.

Somebody who fills in these forms day in day out can be invaluable.

What MargaretClare says about help should not be off putting. It is exceptionally good advice so as people get what they are entitled to without hassle and get it right hopefully at the first attempt !

margaretclare

Well said.

What you wrote about your Mum having a bath made me smile a bit. 'We only had a bath once a week in the old days'. Yes, but we don't expect to live like that now - things have moved on, we all have better homes than in the 'old days'. I grew up in a cottage with one cold tap, no bathroom, and I had to get washed all over at the sink, with water heated in a pan on the fire. Now, I couldn't survive if I didn't get in the shower every single morning! When DH was in hospital in the autumn of 2008 and I was thinking about bathroom improvements, I was told that 'all that was necessary was a daily strip-wash'. I felt as if I'd suddenly jumped back in time.

It's well known that people don't always take in what doctors and others say in a consultation. It's the way the brain works. That's why no one ever takes in bad news - it has to be repeated. I guess your Mum is trying to be polite, as she sees it, not wanting to take up the GP's time by asking questions, asking for clarification.